by: Marilyn Shock
Back
to School Stress and Anxiety
As our kids, parents and teacher prepare to head back to
school there are many thing that can cause stress and anxiety. Orientation, books, classes, supplies just to
mention a few things. We must also
consider the financial strain that goes along with getting our kids ready for
school. There are lots of reasons for us
to look for alternatives that might ease the stress of back to school. Here you
will find only a few reason to add certain food, vitamins, exercise to you
daily routine. Here in Greenbrier we
have the Event Center to help with our exercise. Harps Foods to help with our
food as well as some clothing stores and you can also find some school supplies
at the local stores here. Less travel could mean less stress. First let’s take a look at what stress and
anxiety does to the body!
Anxiety and stress can take its toll on the body both
physically and psychologically. Anxiety is born out of fear and is based upon
anticipation of coming events. Eating the
right foods, in moderation of course can provide the nutrients that can
replenish the body, and keep the immune system strong. By increasing your consumption of certain
foods it has been shown to be on brain chemicals, or the neurotransmitters,
therefore reducing the intensity of the body’s reaction to stress and helping
you feel calmer and less stressed. All of this according to a study and paper
from Psychopharmacology; Effect of Different Tryptophan Sources of Amino Acids
Availability to the Brain and Mood in Healthy Volunteers; C.R. Markus, C. Firk,
C. Gerhardt, J. Kloek and G.F. Smolders; Nov 2008.
What about the link between nutrition and anxiety? When we are in times of high-stress and
anxiety, our endocrine system in our body releases the stress hormones
(epinephrine, cortisol, a steroid hormone, and adrenaline). These are known as
our "fight or flight" hormones which are meant to prepare our body
for action. These hormones elevate blood pressure, heart beat, breathing rate
and encourage muscle tightening. Anxiety causes the liver to release glucose
(sugar) into the bloodstream for quick energy. These responses, over the long
haul, may deplete the body's nutrient stores, lead to exhaustion and lower
immune system function. Consuming foods that help relax the body, as well as
replenish certain nutrients, are essential in keep our bodies in balance and
stress free. Listed here are a few foods that reduce stress. We will focus on Blueberries later.
1. Blueberries""Besides having been identified
as one of the healthiest foods around, blueberries are very high in vitamin C,
which has been shown to give the body added reserves to help it deal with high
levels of stress. Also, blueberries contain a high amount of fiber, which helps
regulate blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels that fluctuate too much are a
major contributor to stress for some people.
2. Low fat or skim milk""Milk is very high in
calcium and B vitamins, which help to build your bones and protect nerve
health. It is also high in protein, and protein also helps blood sugar to stay
stabilized. Try mixing some milk, a sweetener and some frozen blueberries in
the blender for a healthy pick-me-up that is super good for you, and an excellent
alternative to ice cream!
3. Oranges""Oranges are very rich in vitamin C.
When you are stressed, your body releases even more free radicals than usual.
Vitamin C helps to keep the free radicals in check, and repairs the body.
Basically, it helps protect the body from the cumulative effects of stress.
4. Brown rice""All whole grains, including
bulger wheat, quinoa, oats and brown rice contain plenty of B vitamins and also
supply serotonin producing carbohydrates that do not spike blood sugar levels.
They also contain plenty of healthy fiber.
5. Green vegetables""Broccoli, kale, and other
dark green vegetables are powerhouses of vitamins that help replenish our
bodies in times of stress. Many vegetables also contain potassium, which is
good for our nerves and can calm them. Also, when we eat a diet high in
vegetables, we do not feel weighed down by our diet, and it is easier to get stress-reducing
exercise.
Now
let’s look at Minerals.
Why Minerals are important for Muscle Relaxation. The
minerals magnesium and calcium are crucial for muscle contraction and
relaxation, as well as nerve stimulation. Together with potassium, they help to
lower blood pressure. Chronic anxiety depletes the magnesium from our body,
causing additional anxiety, muscle cramps and headaches. Consume foods rich in
these minerals, such as green leafy vegetables, whole grains, peas, nuts, dried
beans, dairy products, calcium-fortified orange juice (rich in both calcium and
potassium) and fresh fruits.
Vitamins.
What about Vitamins for Stress Management? The body's
requirement for all the B-vitamins increases with stress. Vitamin B6 is
particularly important for a healthy immune system and nerve function. In
addition, Vitamin B6 may increase the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter
in the brain that acts as a natural relaxant. Folic acid (known as
"folate" in food sources) is another B-vitamin related to serotonin
levels. Low levels of folate decreases serotonin production. Foods rich in both
Vitamin B6 and folate include legumes, bananas, nuts, fish, leafy green
vegetables and poultry.
Beverages.
What Beverages for would be good Relaxation? Replace your coffee with decaffeinated tea to
promote relaxation. Caffeine acts as a stimulant (also found in colas and
chocolate). Decaffeinated herbal tea may be the best choice since some herbs
offer soothing properties. Try chamomile, passionflower, rosemary or valerian
tea. Chamomile, in particular, is recognized as a natural relaxant and stomach
soother. What about the famous soothing cup of warm milk? Well, milk is rich in
tryptophan, an amino acid necessary to produce serotonin. It is also an
excellent source of calcium, which is involved in muscle contraction and
relaxation, as well as blood pressure regulation. Thus, milk may prove to be
truly calming, for those that don’t drink milk you might try Almond Milk.
Blueberries
Let’s
just take a look at just one fruit and it’s benefits. That would be Blueberries. Blueberries have
many health benefits. But since we are
looking at food that help with stress let’s look at those benefits. Fighting
Oxidative Stress. The USDA scientist
concluded in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in 2007 (26(2):
170-181) that eating wild blueberries and other antioxidant-rich foods at every
meal helps prevent oxidative stress.
This study advances antioxidant research by moving beyong the
measurement of antioxidants in foods to actual examination of the performance
of specific fruits against oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress is linked to chronic
diseases and aging.
Here is a quick recipe for a blueberry parfait that would please both children
and adults. Always remember you can add
blueberries to your cereal, oatmeal or pancakes which makes for a quick and
easy way to find uses for blueberries before or after school.
An Easy Blueberry Recipe
Blueberry Yogurt Parfaits
Yield: 5 parfaits
Cost
per Serving:
$1.88
This recipe is inexpensive and is great for the whole
family. Think about fixing this quick
and easy recipe in exchange of high calorie, high fat snacks.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups
of Yogurt (pick a healthy yogurt or Greek)
2 ½ cups of Blueberries
5 tablespoons of low fat granola
(All of these
ingredients can be found at Harps Food Store in Greenbrier for the Greenbrier
residents)
1. Spoon 1/3 cup yogurt into
each of 5 small bowls or juice glasses. Top each with 1/2 cup fresh
blueberries. Cover with remaining yogurt, so that each parfait has a total
amount of 1/2 cup of yogurt. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. low-fat granola over each
parfait.
2. Buy right: Per 1/4 cup, the
granola should have at least 1 1/2 grams of fiber and no more than 100 calories
and 1 1/4 grams of fat.
As far as other techniques, we are fortunate here in
Greenbrier to have so many things at our disposal here. We have many classes at the Event Center here
in Greenbrier. Such as Jazzercise, Zumba, Clogging, Yoga all at reasonable
prices. We also have massage therapist. So it’s easy to find a place to relax. You can always walk the upstairs track at the
Event Center. Find what fits you need
for stress reduction even though for many of us relaxation might mean zoning
out in front of the TV
at the end of a stressful day. But this does little to reduce the damaging
effects of stress. To effectively combat stress, we need to activate the body's
natural relaxation response. You can do this by practicing relaxation
techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, rhythmic exercise, and yoga.
Fitting these activities into your life can help reduce everyday stress and
boost your energy and mood.
We
must also remember that not all stress is bad.
Stress is necessary for life. You need stress for creativity, learning,
and your very survival. Stress is only harmful when it becomes overwhelming and
interrupts the healthy state of equilibrium that your nervous system needs to
remain in balance. Unfortunately, overwhelming stress has become an
increasingly common characteristic of contemporary life. When stressors throw
your nervous system out of balance, relaxation techniques can bring it back
into a balanced state by producing the relaxation response, a state of deep
calmness that is the polar opposite of the stress response.
When
stress overwhelms your nervous system your body is flooded with chemicals that
prepare you for “fight or flight”. While the stress response can be lifesaving
in emergency situations where you need to act quickly, it wears your body down
when constantly activated by the stresses of everyday life. The relaxation
response puts the brakes on this heightened state of readiness and brings your
body and mind back into a state of equilibrium.
Like I always say: ‘Life is always
about balance!’
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